The Tax payer coughs up £35million a year to repair Sefton’s potholes

Potholes around Southport and nearby have cost £35million to repair in a 12 month period, according to information obtained through a Freedom of Information request.

Council bosses forked out the staggering amount across 2017/18, claim members of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) who made the FOI request.

With 14,644 complaints received by the council from road users in 2017/18, a total of £34,544,457 was spent on potholes. In addition, the bill for claims resulting from damaged vehicles stood at £27,222.

Sefton Council says it was unable to provide information on individual roads.

For 2018/19, the emerging figures for each borough reflect an increase in spending on road repairs, with the exception of a small decrease in Sefton and in Wirral, where the figure remained the same.

Michael Sandys, FSB’s area leader for Liverpool City Region, said: “Potholes are a major concern for the nation’s small businesses. Our members rely heavily on the local road network, with their staff, customers and trade deliveries, dependent on fast and efficient road networks.”